Wednesday, August 16, 2006

First Comments from my MFA Advisor

When I saw the email from my MFA advisor with the subject, "your submission," my heart started to beat faster. I stared at the email for a few minutes before opening it, and then stared at her short note for a while before daring to open the attachment. I am *hoping* that my advisor isn't just "nice", but her comments were very positive--much more positive than her comments on the submission I handed in before the residency, so it seems that I did learn something.

I need some clarification as to what she expects out of this revision (ie, how much do I need to change for it to count as a new submission?), but here's what I think I need to do at this point:

  • Add more of a crisis point. I think I can do this by taking into account some of my mentor's other suggestions, including:

*Create a better balance between the two plots: Harold and Susan's problems with her husband. I can do this by clueing the reader in to the husband problems much earlier on than I do now, and by introducing the idea of a deadline to figure out her marriage earlier.

* Bring the father into the story more.

*Develop all the secondary characters more.

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5 comments:

Idiot Cook said...

Yea! Sounds as if all your hard work is paying off! Congrats...and best of luck as you work on the revisions! :)

Anonymous said...

What a great experience to KNOW that you have made progress. You're working hard, and for sure changes are the result of making a regular practice of writing. Have fun with your revisions, Bug! TI

Writer Bug said...

Thanks to you both! Let me know how your revisions go!

January said...

Sounds like you're on the right track. I hope you'll eventually post some of your work online.

Congrats!

Anonymous said...

Keep the momentum going. These are great comments that are specific and can really help your piece be strong. Yay!